charts covering the period from Februaiy through August 1945 

 have been constructed to show graphically the ice conditions in 

 the area off Cape Breton Island and the Grand Banks area. (See 

 figs. 34 through 40.) 



The ice conditions reported during the season in each of the 

 four areas have been outlined in the following four sections. 



ST. LAWRENCE AREA 

 December, 1944 



By the 8th of December light winter ice was reported in the 

 St. Lawrence River from Quebec to Orleans Island. Ice was first 

 reported down river to Cape Salmon on the 16th, at Father Point 

 on the 19th and at Matane on the 27th. From these shore reports 

 it is assumed that the ice in the river was considerably broken and 

 comparatively open, shifting from shore to shore with the shift- 

 ing winds and dissipating before reaching the gulf proper. 



January, 1945 



By the 13th of January small amounts of river ice had passed 

 Cape des Hosiers and scattered ice had drifted to the western tip 

 of Anticosti Island. A plane flying over the lower St. Lawrence 

 River reported ice everywhere from Father Point to Baie Comeau 

 on the 14th and heavier ice was reported at Fame Point. No re- 

 ports concerning the Gut of Canso-Northumberland Strait area 

 were received until 22 January when closely packed ice was re- 

 ported in George Bay and at the northern entrance of the Gut of 

 Canso with heavy ice at times drifting back and forth through the 

 gut. Sydney Harbor and approaches remained clear throughout the 

 month and it is believed that little or no ice was to be encountered 

 in the gulf from Anticosti Island outward through Cabot Strait. 



February 



Light local ice was formed in Sydney Harbor on the 7th but had 

 disappeared by the 11th. Some slob and slush ice was reported 

 in the Sydney approaches on the 6th and again on the 12th and 

 13th. At this time allied shipping was advised that use of Sydney 

 Harbor was inadvisable for other than shipping normally docking 

 at North Sydney. On the 14th the area through Cabot Strait west- 

 ward to 61° W., and northward to 49° N., was clear of ice with 

 the exception of light ice closely packed along the northwest shore 

 of Cape Breton Island extending to approximately 15 miles off 

 shore at Cape St. Lawrence and terminating at Cape North. The 

 area along the Newfoundland west coast was clear to over 60 

 miles off shore northward past Bonne Bay. Light field ice ap- 

 peared off Sydney about the 17th but moved off beyond the limit 

 of visibility by the 22d. Winter ice again formed in Sydney Harbor 



88 



